Word at Work June 21, 2018

Word at Work June 21, 2018

THURSDAY, JUNE 21
Scripture: Numbers 18:19-24

Numbers 18:19-24 says, “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you. Then the LORD said to Aaron: ‘You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, “Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.”’” This chapter tells us that a Levite is a gift to Aaron and this is a picture of the New Testament five-fold ministry gifts. If He calls us specifically to full-time ministry, the Lord says He becomes our provision. That is an important part of the tithe. The tithe is given over to provide for God’s full-time ministry gifts. That is exactly what is said in this passage of Numbers and it is consistently declared throughout Scripture. There are three things people cannot afford to do in the last days and still walk with God. We cannot afford to be a God-hater as defined in Romans 1. Galatians 6 reveals we cannot afford to be a God-mocker. Openly flaunting sin qualifies as mocking God! And finally, we cannot afford to be a God-robber. Malachi 3 defines those who withhold the tithe, or 10% of our increase, as God-robbers! Those three things will forfeit the end-time mark that God puts on His people to protect them in the last days. There is a stiff penalty for unrepentant God-haters, God-mockers and God-robbers!